The Haileybury Society is saddened to learn of the death of Revd. Canon Christopher Leader Day Beales (H 65) who has died in January 2024, aged 72.

At Haileybury, Chris was a prefect, played in the XI and was captain of the Squash team. He later went on to study theology at St John’s College, Durham, graduating in 1972, and beginning his training for ordination at Cranmer Hall.

Industrial chaplaincy

He served in a range of industrial chaplaincy roles nationally, including in Leeds and Teesside, later serving on the C of E Industrial and Economic Affairs Committee between 1985 and 1991 and becoming Director of the Churches’ Regional Commission 1994-1998.

Influential reports

Chris was the author of?a number of reports including Tools for Fools (1987); Industrial Mission – An Appraisal (1988, with others); and Mainstream and Marginal (1990).

Social Housing

Following his retirement from public ministry in 2017, Chris became a Visiting Fellow of his alma mater. It was during this period that he served as one of the Commissioners for the Archbishops’ Commission on Housing, Church and Community.

In this work, he contributed to implementation of its report Coming Home (Feb, 2021). More information about this intiative can be found here.

Fondly remembered

Commenting on Chris’s life of service, the former Principal of St John’s, the Revd Prof David Wilkinson, said: ‘St John’s as a College was blessed by having Chris Beales as student, as alumnus, and as Visiting Fellow. An outstanding entrepreneur whose bold vision was matched by strategic wisdom, limitless energy and enthusiasm and a generosity which drew others in. Inspired and sustained by an encounter with the love of God in Jesus, he saw and lived the Kingdom of God both in and far beyond the church.’

(Quote from Revd. Wilkinson courtesy University of Durham website)